Fair Trade Silverplated Copper Wire Bracelet

Item# cpper-brace-zcb036d1

$17.99

Click on picture to enlarge.

Made by the 15 young people of Zakale Creations, an organization that works through Jedando Handicrafts, this silverplated copper wire bracelet is available in about as many designs as one can bend, twist and flatten wire. The woven, flattened ends are attached by a hook and circle clasp that makes the bracelet adjustable. The average size is 8 inches in circumference, including the hook. Sold individually.

Working with more than 100 individual carvers in Machakos, Kenya,Jedando Modern Handicrafts markets products primarily made of wood and bone worldwide. Carving is a tradition in Kenya with the children learning the craft from their parents. Carved by hand using only rudimentary hand tools, olive wood bowls, salad serving sets, and animal-shaped napkin rings take shape from pieces of olive wood, mahogany, and mpingo, or “African Ebony.” An integral part of the organization’s function is to educate the craftspeople on the need for reforestation to enable the products to be available for years to come and offer a sustainable income for generations.

While wood carving provides the major income for many in the Machakos area, other craftspeople earn a living by further enhancing the products including painting the napkin rings and carving discarded animal bone for the handles of salad serving sets. Often the bone is “batiked” by placing wax on the white bone and dipping the bone a dark brown/black dye, resulting in patterns African mud cloth designs.